jnb5101

ok, i'm thoroughly confused. i'm trying to purchase a light weight starter for my 1972 454 with manual trans and 14" flywheel. none of the suppliers can tell me if the same starter is used for an auto trans or an manual. also nobody knows what starter brace to use. they all give you that blank stare after they ask you for the make and model, and you tell them it's a 454 with a 168 tooth flywheel. "it's not in the computer?!"
i need some specific numbers! please!
jeff

S489

don't think the light weight starters use a brace.
i just put an 11" clutch & flywheel on a camaro; old starter for the 10.5" clutch and flywheel wouldn't fit. so, i used a gm starter off of a '95 454 out of a truck.

Artsvette73

Manual and auto starters are diffrent. My book shows 1108400 for manual 70-74 454

68/70Vette

General Motors Performance Parts Catalog:

High Torque Ministarter: GM Part Number 12361146. Designed for 1958 through 1996 V-8's and all 90 degree V-6's. Can be used with either 12.75 inch diameter (153 tooth) and 14 inch (168 tooth) flywheels. The housing can be rotated to clear exhaust manifolds. Weighs only 10.5 pounds.

Part Number 12363128, same as above, except chrome housing.

The catalog also recommends that if you have a 502 engine, you should use Lightweight Starter PN 9000852. This requires a 14 inch flywheel.
.......

I have the 12361146 on my ZZ4.

jnb5101

68/70
thanks for the reply. is your car an auto or manual?-thanks my problem. the catalogues don't mention if these numbers are for one or both types. also, what brace did you use? in the old days, the starter's nose was different, but with these new-fangled contraptions, i'm not sure what part number to order! i'm about to go back to a 10mt!
jeff

jackson

1108400 is a HEAVY starter from the C3 era ... conventional old-style "non permanent magnet" design with heat-sensitive field coils ... getting harder to find, you'll pay dearly too.

GMPP 2007 cat describes & pictures 9000852 ... it shows it has STAGGERED bolt pattern for larger 168T. These are basically starters for late trucks ... and they are LITE & have permanent magnet motor ... less than 10 lbs ... they don't need any brace. They are NOT a true ministarter ... but they do have superior (imho) planetary gear reduction. They are virtually as small as true mini (ie 12361146) but they have the "better" planetary reduction. GM's been using these lite permanent magnet starters for well over a decade and they last & perform much better than their field coil-strapped ancestors. Suggest 9000852 or simply get one out of a late FULL-size V8 GM PU or suburban ... those all will have a staggered pattern for 168T. I don't see why 9000852 would not work with either man or auto ... so long as it has 168T.

SteveG75

GM part #9000852 is a late model truck starter. It is designed for big blocks with a 14" flexplate. The starter does not care whether it is installed on an auto or a manual. GM is great at parts interchange. A starter for a 14" auto app will work just fine on a 14" manual flywheel. Any good parts store should be able to interchange to a GM part #.

One note. You cannot use your stock bolts. The correct bolts are special with metric shanks and standard threads. GM part# for the bolts is 12338064 and you can get them from any dealer.

I have been using that starter for a couple of years and it works great.
I also modified an old brace, but it is not really necessary.

BTW: GM does not recommend its ministarter for competition use so I'll stick with the 9000852.

jnb5101

thanks for the replys. my biggest concern was the possibility of different noses' on the auto trans and the bellhouseing. i went on the gm direct web site and couldn't get any straight answers from them except "no returns !".
jeff

68/70Vette

My ZZ4 came with a flexplate for an automatic. I replaced it with a flywheel. This indicates that the ministarter I used will work with either auto or manual transmission.

Also, the GMPP catalog description of the ZZ454/440 recommends the 9000862 starter. The ZZ454 comes with a flexplate, but the catalog ZZ454 description recommends a PN 14096987 flywheel if a clutch is going to be used. This is a petty good indication that the 9000862 starter works with either a manual or auto trans. (A little more info, the 14096987 flywheel is a 14 inch wheel, 168 tooth. But watch out if you use this wheel- its for internally balanced engines. The early 1970+ 454 engines were not internally balanced. These engines will take a different flywheel.)

Ironcross

totally

I'm Batman

Thanks for that part number. I have one of the correct bolts and one old-school bolt with a couple of washers under it to take up the slack...

VRedZ06

Will this starter work on a 2006 Z06????